John Prine Finally Gets the Indie Rock Tribute Treatment

Being the music editor of a culture magazine in Brooklyn in 2010, It’s not often that I get to say much about John Prine, but he’s one of my favorite songwriters of all-time: a preternaturally gifted storyteller with a keen eye for detail—the stuff that makes funny situations seem just a little bit sad and sad situations seem just a little bit funny. His 1973 LP, Sweet Revenge, is framed and hanging on a wall in my living room, even, right below Darkness on the Edge of Town.

Now, though, perhaps my extreme fondness for him will seem ever so slightly less out of left field. On June 22nd Prine’s label, Oh Boy Records, will release Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs Of John Prine , a tribute CD featuring contributions from country/folk-leaning indie rock artists like Bon Iver’s Justin Vernson, Drive By Truckers, The Avett Brothers, Conor Oberst and Lambchop. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of information out there just yet, but you can hear Justin Vernon’s version of “Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow) here, if you scroll to the bottom of the page. The full track-list is after the jump.